Finding Text
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 2023-001 Refugee and Entrant Assistance - Discretionary Grants - Assistance Listing No. 93.576; Award No. 90RG0208-02-01; Award year ending September 30, 2023. Condition: The ageny's Refugee Achieving Individual Success Trough Economic Empowerment lending funds are not kept in a separate bank account. Criteria: ORR guidelines require that funds used for loan disbursement be kept in a separate bank account throughout the program period so that the funds can be independently maintained and tracked. Cause: While the agency did establish a separate account for it's three direct federally funded (93.576) programs, it failed to maintain a separate account for the loan disbursement funds. Effect: The amount of funds on hand related exclusively for the lending program is not readily determinable. Recommendation: The agency should establish procedures to ensure that federal program guidelines are specifically followed. The agency should be able to identify funds drawn and available for lending, loan loss reserves, and loan principal recovered. View of Responsible Officials and Planned Corrective Actions: The agency has acquired banking specific software which is currently being customized for our lending program. It was the intent of the agency to open the new separate bank account at the same time as the launch of the new software program. However, as of the end of the June 30, 2023, fiscal year the customization was not completed.